Friday night transformation of intersection on SH20A to Auckland airport

17 May 2018 01:51 pm
| NZ Transport Agency

The NZ Transport Agency says the transformation of the Landing Drive roundabout on SH20A to Auckland Airport that was postponed last weekend will go ahead this weekend – with one important difference.

The changes will happen on Friday night, 18 May, not on Saturday night as was planned last week.

The roundabout will be transformed overnight Friday into an intersection controlled by traffic lights, with further work continuing over the weekend.

The intersection will be closed on Friday night from 9pm to allow final preparations, including lane marking. It will reopen in daylight at 6am on Saturday morning as an 8-lane intersection for north and southbound traffic, with traffic lights controlling all movements through the intersection.

“Motorists will need to comply with the new signals and allow plenty of time to stop on the red light,” says the Transport Agency’s Senior Manager Project Delivery, Chris Hunt.

Work will continue to build traffic islands, median strips and lay the final road surface. This work is planned to be finished by August 2018, says Mr Hunt.

Changes to the intersection were necessary because the heavy traffic flows to and from the airport meant the roundabout did not function efficiently.

The new eight lane intersection will increase capacity and improve safety and journey reliability to, from and within the Airport area. The Landing Drive intersection is where SH20A (also known as George Bolt Memorial Drive) ends and transitions into the airport road network.

The intersection will have 8 lanes for north and south-bound traffic flow with dedicated left and right turn lanes. Landing Drive and Verissimo Drive will also have dedicated turning and straight through lanes. This will improve the flow of traffic entering and exiting the industrial areas. The upgrade supports the significant traffic growth and development in the wider Airport Oaks area.

The upgrade of the Landing Drive intersection is part of ongoing improvements to SH20A, which is the primary route between Auckland Airport, its business district, and the greater Auckland area. Other improvements include the upgraded Kirkbride intersection, with its trench underpass separating local and airport traffic.

The NZ Transport Agency works to create transport solutions for all New Zealanders – from helping new drivers earn their licences, to leading safety campaigns to investing in public transport, state highways and local roads.